Mitt Romney is not only the front runner in the 2012 Republican primary, but is also leading as the person who garnered the largest amount of fundraising, according to early quarter estimates that ends this upcoming Thursday. Early reports suggest that Romney is the man to beat when it comes to fundraising as it will be revealed that the former Governor of Massachusetts has raised between $15-20 million, which could be up to $15 million higher than his other competitors.

Michele Bachmann, on the other hand, remains a wild card. Since announcing that she is running, she has been inching up in the polls and that could help her fundraising, people following the race suggest. Her fundraising has not been revealed because she entered the race so late. As for the other candidates, reports suggest that libertarian Ron Paul has raised “at least” $4.5 million, although that can inch higher by the time it is officially reported. Tim Pawlenty will bring in around $4.2 million. FOX News favorite Herman Cain has said that he has raised under $5 million.

According to the latest FOX News poll, released this week, Mitt Romney continues to lead the pack amongst nationwide Republican primary voters, garnering 18% of the vote, behind Rick Perry’s 13%, who hasn’t formally decided to run in 2012. Michele Bachman polls in at 11%, behind Rudy Giuliani’s 10% and Sarah Palin’s 8%. Neither of the latter two have announced they are running in 2012, either. Ron Paul polled in at 7%, behind Herman Cain’s 5%. Tim Pawlenty, Newt Gingrich, and Jon Huntsman all polled in at 3%.

However, of positive note for Bachmann, she is within the margin of error in Des Moines Register’s latest poll in Iowa which states that she is right behind Romney in the country’s very first caucuses in mid-January. Romney pulled in at 23% and Bachmann at 22% in the poll. Critics state that if Bachmann, who was born in Iowa, could pick up the state, it could give her credibility and could garner here more backers and thus fundraisers. However, others point to the 2008 Iowa caucuses which had Mike Huckabee win in a landslide victory, stating that siding with the socially conservative in the state doesn’t necessarily mean they will win the the caucuses and primaries in other more left-leaning states.